This terrible father-son story between Romeo and Macao is for Round 2 of The NEW Fairy Tail Writing Challenges by Mrs. HopeEstheim.
The first time Romeo went to the sea, he still believed.
Romeo stood at the edge of the dock, staring into space with a blank, dead look in his eyes. Macao stood a few paces back, gazing sadly at his son and rubbing his arm awkwardly.
It pained him to see his young seven year old son in pain. But, he didn't know how to break it to him.
"Papa…"
Macao's head snapped up. "Yes, son?"
Romeo didn't even bother to look at him as he asked, "Will Natsu-nii ever come back?"
Macao sighed heavily. How was he going to do this?
But, he didn't need to. Romeo turned around and said confidently, "Nah, I bet they're just running late!"
Macao's heart broke as he watched his son run down the dock and back up to the guild.
The second time Romeo went to the sea, he had figured it out.
A nine year old Romeo stood in the same spot, staring at the still summer sky of Magnolia with the same unfocused expression. Macao again stood a little away, feeling a gaping hole in his stomach.
Romeo wasn't stupid. By now, even his spunky faith in Natsu and the rest of Fairy Tail had crumbled. He had realized now that the Tenrou Team just wouldn't be coming back.
Macao was now the newly appointed Master of whatever was left of the guild. But, for some odd reason, he just couldn't bring himself to be happy about it.
He supposed it was because that there was no way he could even think of smiling if his son was anything less than content.
His son was far from it. He hadn't even smiled since the day the Team was supposed to come back and didn't show up. Macao doubted he would ever be the same.
Macao missed his son's smile. And he would give anything to see it again.
The third time Romeo went to the sea, he couldn't control himself. And, neither could Macao.
"NATSU-NII!" A twelve year old Romeo roared at the ocean. The sea gulls all flew away, and the sailboats stopped for a second to gape at the shouting maniac.
"I can't believe you didn't come back! What's wrong with you?!" Romeo yelled hoarsely. "I've been waiting all this time!"
"You've let us all down! Where'd you run to, coward?" Romeo spat. "Why haven't you come back?"
Maybe it was the fact that his son looked like a lunatic, bellowing at the ocean.
Maybe it was the fact that he was angry that his son hadn't moved on yet..
Maybe it was the fact that Romeo seemed to look up and admire Natsu more than he had ever with his own father.
Macao didn't know why he did it, but there are certainly many possible reasons. However, none of them would ever atone for what he did.
The blood rushed to his face as he stormed down the dock. Grabbing his son's shirt collar, he yanked him around so he was looking at him.
"Stop it," Macao growled threateningly. "Stop holding on!"
Macao immediately regretted what he had done as he watched his son's wide, bulging eyes become narrower, his fists clenching.
"I..I hate you..." Romeo mumbled. "I HATE YOU! DID YOU HEAR ME? I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU!"
"You're the worst father anyone could have! You don't even care," Romeo choked. "You don't even care about Natsu-nii and everybody!"
"I'll never talk to you again! Because I hate you!" Romeo's fist burst into scorching orange flames, and without thinking, he punched his own father in the jaw.
Macao was not expecting it. His mouth screamed in pain, and his mind just couldn't wrap around the fact that his own son had just screamed that he hated him.
Macao fell off the dock and splashed into the water, shocked. His whole head was now spinning. Since when had his son become this powerful?
Watching his son run away from the dock and Magnolia crying, he knew that he had done a horrible thing.
The moon's shine flooded over Magnolia just like Romeo's tears.
Romeo sat again at the dock, this time all alone. He just couldn't stop himself from coming here, even if he and his father had just fought with each other in the same spot mere hours ago.
Romeo was a lot like Natsu in many ways. He was stubborn. He was a hothead. He was a little dense.
But one thing that was different was that Romeo had a father. And, for some reason, he wasn't sure if it was really that great of a thing.
Sure, Natsu's dad had left him-not to mention that his dad was, technically, a dragon. But, Igneel still had loved and cared for him the same, and raised him to be a good man with even better values.
Today, Natsu was who he was because of Igneel, even if he was abandoned.
But Romeo's father? An old man with blue hair who could barely hold his own in a fight? Not to mention that, a lot of the time, he just left Romeo and his mom home for days at a time because he wasn't skilled enough to finish a job within the time limit?
His dad was nothing cool at all. And, now, it seemed that he favored the guild over his own son. He was just obsessed with being the new fourth Master.
"Well, he sucks at it," Romeo thought. And, if he doesn't even care about his nakama, then what's the point?
Romeo's heart stung when he thought of Natsu-nii, and how much he missed him, and what he would give to see him again.
But Romeo couldn't figure out for the life of him why his heart hurt even more when he thought of his own father smiling and rubbing his head, like he used to before the S-Class exam.
Macao banged his head down on the bar table repeatedly. The glasses shook, and Wakaba almost choked on his drink.
"You baka!" Wakaba slapped him upside the head, raring for a fight.
Macao groaned, punching him sloppily with a wisp of purple fire.
Wakaba paused, not expecting such unenthusiasm. "Macao, what's wrong?" Kinnana stopped serving drinks and came over to them, just to help.
"Romeo got mad at me again last night..." Macao mumbled.
"Well, he seemed pretty down lately," Kinnana supplied.
"It's not like this hasn't happened before," Wakaba said. "Pull yourself together. You guys always make up from these silly arguments anyways."
"No, it wasn't really that silly," Macao replied, sitting up and staring into his booze. "He screamed that he hated me."
Wakaba hissed and patted his friend on the back. Kinnana sighed, and began polishing some of the empty glasses.
"Why is he so mad at me all the time?" Macao moaned at the ceiling. "I don't think he's ever even told me he loves me."
"Oh, come on, I'm sure he has at least a couple times-" Wakaba was cut off by Macao shouting.
"He's never told me he loves me, but he has to Natsu!" Macao got up and kicked his stool angrily.
"Calm down!" Wakaba yelled. Holding Macao by the shoulders, he managed to restrain him from burning all the furniture.
Kinnana walked toward Macao, held her cold hand to his cheek, and looked at him bittersweetly.
"I think you might want to start by apologizing."
"Romeo? ROMEO?!" Macao stomped around his small house clumsily, trying to find his son.
"He hasn't come back the whole day, I thought he was at the guild!" his wife wailed.
"See, I knew he shouldn't have become a wizard, I told you, but you never listen-"
"Oh, just shut up!" Macao slammed the door, and stood outside. Leaning against it, he panted.. Why did he even marry her?
He glanced up at the sky. It was a crystal blue.
Blue. Blue.
And suddenly Macao was running toward the ocean dock.
Romeo shivered. His feet felt numb. His lips were parched, his voice was hoarse. His stomach grumbled.
He felt like he was going to die. Yet for some reason, he couldn't get himself to move.
Romeo has continued to sit at the dock the whole day, his feet in the ocean. He hadn't gotten up for anything, not even to eat or drink water.
He heard footsteps. He had a feeling he knew who it was.
Someone thumped down the dock. He didn't turn around.
Someone sat next to him and put their feet in the water. Someone pulled him close.
Someone smiled and rubbed his head. Someone whispered, "Sorry, Romeo."
Tears bubbled up in Macao's eyes as Romeo sobbed, "I love you too, Daddy!"